Iowa woman accused of stealing over $23,000 from residents at mental health service

PRIMGHAR, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) - An Iowa woman has been arrested after she allegedly stole thousands of dollars from residents at a mental health service.

According to Sioux County Radio, 48-year-old Jennifer Storm of Primghar was arrested on Friday, Sept. 15. She is facing one count of theft, one count of ongoing criminal conduct and 10 counts of dependent adult abuse.

An investigation by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit alleges Storm stole more than $23,000 from 21 different residents at Pride Group. Investigators claim the thefts happened between November 2020 and March 29, 2023, while Storm was working as an administrative assistant at Pride Group. According to the organization’s website, the Pride Group helps Northwest Iowa residents with mental illnesses or disabilities.

As an administrative assistant, Storm was responsible for residents’ money. Investigators say she used multiple methods to steal money from residents, some of which include:

• Using a resident’s debit card to make unauthorized online purchases.
• Using a resident’s debit card to buy gift cards.
• Withdrawing money from a resident’s account so that the resident could send cash to another person, but only sent some of the money and kept the rest for herself.
• Taking a resident’s social security money and moving it to other accounts to cover up her alleged thefts.

Storm has been released from jail after posting a $35,000 cash or surety bond. She is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Monday, Sept. 25.

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